About this book

In the light of global energy use, the cost of energy services, concerns over energy supply security, climate change and local air pollution, this book centres on the question of how growing energy demand for transport can be met in the long term. Given the interest in and controversies on the prospects of hydrogen, it highlights the opportunities and challenges of introducing hydrogen as alternative fuel in the transport sector from an economic, technical and environmental point of view.

Through its multi-disciplinary approach, it provides researchers, decision makers and policy makers with a solid and wide-ranging knowledge base concerning the hydrogen economy.

Particular highlights include: assessment of the benefits and downsides of hydrogen compared to other alternative fuels; strategies and scenarios for a hydrogen infrastructure build-up; interactions between hydrogen production and the electricity sector; long-term global hydrogen supply scenarios and their impact on resource availability; the potential of hydrogen for decarbonising the transport sector; macro-economic impacts of introducing hydrogen

'This multi-disciplinary book significantly broadens the perspective on the prospects of hydrogen as a universal energy vector and fuel, and provides a very important addition to the policy debate over future sources of transportation energy and the role hydrogen can play for the decades to come.' Herbert Kohler, Chair of the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform 'The book is an important contribution to the discussion about the role of hydrogen in the future energy system, and should be of great interest to a broad readership, from policy makers to the general public.' Mustafa Hatipoglu, UNIDO-ICHET 'I strongly recommend this excellent book to energy engineers, environmentalists and decision makers, as well as those interested in the future of humankind and the welfare of the planet Earth.' T. Nejat Veziroglu, President, International Association for Hydrogen Energy

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Biography

Michael Ball received his PhD in 2006 from the University of Karlsruhe in the field of energy system modelling, developing a model for hydrogen infrastructure analysis, which served as a tool for producing the European Hydrogen Energy Roadmap. After working as a researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, he joined Shell in 2006 as CO2 advisor. His areas of expertise include energy system analysis, well-to-wheel analysis of alternative fuels and carbon abatement options. Dr Ball also served as evaluator of research proposals to the European Commission. Martin Wietschel studied Economy Engineering at the University of Karlsruhe and has been a private lecturer there since 1995. From 1990 to 2002, he was a Research Fellow and, eventually, the head of the research group 'Energy Systems and Environment' at the Institute for Industrial Production, University of Karlsruhe, in the fields of energy system analysis, energy models, emission reduction strategies, environmental instruments and sustainable development. He was the project leader of different national and international research studies in the fields of energy, economics, and the environment. In 2002, Dr Wietschel joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research in Karlsruhe as a Senior Scientist.